DEARLY BELOVED Next Up for Bethlehem Players

Just in time for wedding season, Jones, Hope and Wooten's Dearly Beloved debuts onstage in neighboring Franklin, via a new Bethlehem Players' production directed by Brett Myers and running April 1-9 at Bethlehem United Methodist Church, 2419 Bethlehem Loop Road, in Franklin's Grassland Area.

Written by the prolific trio of Jones, Hope and Wooten, whose stage comedies have delighted audiences for years, Dearly Beloved is directed by Brett Myers. The raucous comedy focuses on the efforts of one particularly outlandish Southern mother as she tries to throw an elaborate antebellum-styled wedding for her daughter, only to be outdone by her two sisters trying to economize the wedding - Texas-style.

Myers' cast for the production includes many Bethlehem Players' favorites and actors from the Nashville area including Robbin Holland, Ginny Welles, Lori Hetherington, Jim Maden, Brian Zimmerman, Mark McNulty, Leslie Berra, Kari Reidle, Jordan Chester and Jonathan Vander Molen.

A tradition for the community theatre group is to designate a benefiting charity, according to a spokeswoman. A portion of this year's proceeds, as well as patron donations, will go toward supporting BUMC's Tiny House project in partnership with the Green Street Church of Christ in Nashville. Bethlehem has begun building four homes to help provide housing for Nashville's homeless population.

Bethlehem Players present Dearly Beloved on April 1, 2, 5, 7, 9 at 7 p.m. and April 3 at 2 p.m. at Bethlehem United Methodist Church, 2419 Bethlehem Loop Road, Franklin. With limited seating, $15 per person general admission tickets are available via TicketsNashville.com or by calling the Bethlehem Ticket line at (615)-669-2722.

Founded in 1997, the Bethlehem Players have staged for packed audiences two world premiere productions - Southern Fried Funeral and Southern Fried Nuptials - as well as hits like Steel Magnolias, Rumors, Fiddler On The Roof, Annie, Barefoot in the Park, It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play and Play, On! For more information, go to www.bethlehemumc.com.